What do Austin, Texas and Boise, Idaho have in common?
Austin and Boise are the two metro areas where buyers are paying a premium for homes-- over 50%! Yikes!!! Ask why? Answer = Quality of Life. Now, I am not a Boise dweller. If you, my reader, are or know something of the finer points of Boise, please share. I do know Austin and Central Texas, though. Here are a 3 stand-out features of Austin, Texas and the Surrounding Hill Country:
1. Food- Where can you find the best taco stands/trucks this side of the Mexico border? We have an important indie mid range and up-scale foodie scene from urban farm to table at Eden East to decandent French at the infamous Justines 1937 and barbeque brisket from the uniquely family style Valentinas on Menchaca in South Austin.
Justine's courtesty of Justine Grilcrease
2. Music- Move over Nashville, TN. Austin legitmately earned its name Music Capital of the World. We lovingly claim Janis Joplin and hold tightly to Willie Nelson finding his outlaw sound in Austin. Grammy nominees The Black Pumas are from here. The Night Owls, whose lead singer I met at one of my Open Houses (lucky me), is one of the most fun, funk-soul bands I have come across. They have a block party on Sunday's at ACL's 3Ten on Willie Nelson Way that you should attend at least once! Then, if you choose any "honky-tonk" or we say "listening room" visit in Austin make it Saxon Pub. Opened in 1990, they have hosted over 30,000 performances. Here, you just might catch Austin sweetheart Patrice Pike or this all lady super group PAACK. Black Puma courtesy of Kevin Winter/Getty Images
3. Scenic Lifestyle- Austin is our 3rd Coast. We may not have an ocean or a ski mountain, but we have wide open spaces throughout the Hill Country with lakes, breathtaking bluffs, hiking and camping in Dos Rios, paddle boarding the Colorado, Texas vineyards for wine-tasting, and antiquing in Fredricksburg, Blanco, Gruene or Boerne.
Austin's mantra has been "Keep Austin Weird" for as long as I can remember, but we, as a City and a community, are evolving. Our demographic is changing. Are you intriqued? Want to settle down in a city that has so much to offer in the way of QoL? Let me be your gateway guide.
Tamsen Reed, The Possibility Realtor-Moving Your Life Forward